1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to copying machine control apparatus, and to copying machine control apparatus for transmission of data for controlling copying machines to a centralized control unit on the center side and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A system for management of a plurality of copying machines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,834. In the disclosed system, various operating data of the copying machine such as a total number of copies, machine malfunctions and amounts of remaining copy sheets and toner are transmitted to a computer through a communication network. The computer processes the transmitted data and feeds back to the copying machine instructions.
In a system in which data of copying machines are transmitted from respective terminal devices to a centralized management unit through a communication network such as a public telephone network, connection between the terminal device and the management unit sometimes can not be made.
For example, it is when the network connection can not be made because of overlapping dialing from a number of terminal devices, or when some operational fault occurs in the control unit on the center side.
In such cases, it is generally desirable to re-dial after a predetermined time period.
However, general communication terminal devices and lines such as telephone machines and facsimile apparatus are shared as above-mentioned terminal devices and networks in many cases.
In this case, excessive repeat of above re-dialing because of situations on the center side limits use of a telephone machine and so forth on the user, which is not preferable.
To deal with trouble occurrence is one of objects of a system in which control data for a plurality of copying machines are transmitted from respective terminal devices to the control center side through a line such as a communication network (a public telephone lines) for centralized control.
That is, in the above-mentioned system, when a trouble occurs in a copying machine, the information thereof is immediately transmitted to the control center, where dispatch of a serviceman or instructions to the user by way of the communication line and the like are conducted.
Depending on circumstances, however, the abovementioned measures are not required. For example, it is when the user knows how to deal with the trouble very well and can deal with it by himself, or when a serviceman has been already dispatched by a request through a telephone or the like.